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0. D. MQGLELLAN. MECHANISM FOR DEODORIZING REFUSE MATTER AND CONVERTING v IT INTO FERTILIZERS.

No. 404,360. Patented May 28, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR D. MCCLELLAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO JACOB KENNEDY AND PETER HILL ENGLE, OF SAME PLACE.

MECHANISM FOR DEODORIZING REFUSE MATTER AND CONVERTING IT INTO FERT'ILIZERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,360, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed June 5, 1888- Serial No. 276,103. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern.- v

Be it known that I, OSCAR D. MCCLELLAN, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Im-. provement in Mechanism for Deodorizin Refuse Matter and Converting it into Fertilizers, of which the following is a specification. f

My invention relates to mechanism for deodorizing refuse matter and converting it into fertilizers; and it consists of certain improvea ments which are fully set forth in the follow-I ing specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

It has of late years become absolutely necessary, for sanitary reasons, that efficient means should be devised to destroy the enormous mass of refuse matter which collects daily in thickly-populated regions, and many attempts have been made to accomplish this end. It has been usual in these methods to subject the matter to heat, to either dry or consume it; but such methods have been imperfect, because, while they were effective in destroying the solid portion of the refuse matter, they did not satisfactorily act upon the liquid, (which is far the greater portion of garbage and refuse,) nor were they effective in destroying the unhealthful and noxious odors, in consequence of which it has been impossible to employ these methods in thicklypopulated cities.

The object of my invention is to overcome these faults by so compressing the matter in an air-tight vessel and subjecting it to powerful purifiers and deodorizers that it may be removed from the vessel free from noxious odors and ready for use for fertilizing purposes. I also separate the liquids from the solids in my apparatus, drawing off the water in an odorless and substantially-clear state and leaving the solids in a dry and unobjectionable mass. It has also been found impossible to destroy the stench arising from factories of fertilizers, and to this end also my invention is directed, so that a fertilizingfactory can be maintained in the heart of a populous district Without evil results to the sanitary condition of the inhabitants. complish these ends I first seek to separate To acthe solids from the liquids, employing both chemical and mechanical means for this purpose. For mechanical means I employ compression, by which the liquids and the solids are separated. From the liquid matter I then free the organic andv inorganic matter held in solution and in suspension in it by chemical 1 means, precipitating it preferably by the use of sulphate of iron and sulphate of lime. Second, I destroy the putrescent matter and the stench arising from it by the actions of powerful acids and aerated lime-water or its equivalent.

The apparatus which I employ to contain the refuse matter while under treatment is an air-tight vessel, which may be made of any convenient shape.

garbage or for excavating purposes, and when filled it can'be conveyed to the factory where the deodorization and conversion into fertilizers may be carried out.

Referring to the drawings for greater particularity, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of my donegans inverted, as it is used in the operation of deodorization, &c. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a hydraulic or steam pressure cylinder by which the refuse matter in the donegan may be compressed and separated into its liquid and solid portions; and Fig. 3 is a sec tional view of the ordinary cover or top of the donegan.

A is the donegan, preferably of a cylindrical shape, having an air-tight, but movable, bottom or piston, B, provided with leather or other packing, O.

E is a circular run or ring, having a central opening, D, and bolted by nuts or bolts G to flange F on the bottom of the donegan.

WVhen the donegan is in use as a receptacle for refuse matter, or is being conveyed from one place to another, the top U (see Fig.3) is used, and may be bolted down upon the donegan; but when it is desired to deodorize the refuse matter and to convert it, this top is removed and is replaced by the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, and the donegan is inverted. The construction of this apparatus is as follows:

II is an iron screen-frame, preferably constructed in an arched form, as shown, to give This I call the donegan. It may be used as the ordinary receptacle for.

greater solidity and firmness, and is provided with perforations 71..

H is a second screen or frame similar to it but insomuch as there is no considerable pressure exerted upon this screen H it may be made of woven wire or other material. In practice I sometimes find it advantageous to provide the screen H with spikes or projections I to catch the bits of paper and similar articles and prevent them from clogging up the holes or perforations h.

K is a screen, of canvas or other suitable material, stretched between the frames II and II, upon which and between the frames are placed the chemicals, L, such as permanganic acid, chloride of lime, or sulphate of iron.

M is a circular plate located beneath the frames H and H, slanting downward toward a central opening, N. The object of this plate is to guide the liquid forced through the screens through the opening into a receptaole, R, below. These screens H and 11 and circular plate M are secured within the movable bottom 0, which is in turn secured to the donegan A by means of the bolts Q, the flanges P of the bottom O,and the extensions or lugs A of the donegan. Thus these parts are held in place.

R is a receptacle in the lower part of the removable bottom 0, under the opening N, into which the liquids strained through the screens II and II' are guided. In this receptacle I place some powerful purifier. and deodorizing agent, preferably contained in a bag or sack, and the liquids coming in cont act with the purifier and the deodorizer in the receptacle R, and thence flowing over the top of it, escape through the opening S into the sewer.

T is a pipe, preferably of a circular form, running about the removable bottom 0 under the plate M, through which aerated water may be jetted in upon the liquids through small opening 25.

In Fig. 2 is shown one of the many methods that may be employed to force the bottom or piston B down to compress the refuse matter in the donegan. This consists of a hydraulic, steam, gas, or air cylinder, V, provided with a piston, Z, rod Y, and piston-rod head or plunger W, which is adapted to fit into the circular opening D in the bottom of the donegan, so that it may force down the movable bottom or piston B. X is a watersupply pipe provided with suit. ble valves to operate the piston Z and its head or plunger XV. It is evident, however, that other means maybe used to accomplish this compressionsuch as air or steam pressureand it is apparent that the means used to operate the piston B are in no way material to the principles of my invention. The method here shown is merely suggested as one of the most eflicient.

In practice, after the donegan has been filled the cover U is secured to it, and it is conveyed to the factory. This cover is now replaced by the bottom 0 and the donegan is inverted. By means of the plunger the pis on B is forced down, compressing the mass within and forcing the liquids through the screens II and H and the strainer or screen K and the chemicals L held by them, thus separating the refuse matter into its liquid and solid portions. The liquid falling upon the guide-frame M is directed into the receptacle R, and there, by chemical action,

. further purified by the release of the solid matter still held in suspension in it. Then, overflowing the receptacle B, it is mixed with aerated water from the pipes T, and is drawn off through the openings S in a substantially pure state and allowed to escape to the sowers. The solids freed from the liquids may then be removed from the donegan by taking off the movable bottom 0, and maybe utilized as fertilizers. The top U is then replaced, and the donegan may be either sent out to be refilled or made stationery in the factory and filled by means of a hopper.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for deodorizing refuse matter and converting it into fertilizers, the combination of a vessel having a movable bot tom with means, substantially as described, to operate said bottom, and a strainer located within said vessel, through which the liquid is forced from the refuse matter in the vessel by the compression due to said movable bottom, and a pipe located under said strainer, through which aerated water is jetted upon the liquid andmixed with it.

2. In a machine for deodorizing refuse matter and converting it into fertilizers, avessel having a movable bottom, in combination with means,substantially as described, to op crate said bottom, and a strainer located within the vessel, consisting of perforated screens II and II, and provided with projections I, extending upward from it.

3. The combination of a cylindrical vessel, a bottom movable within said vessel but not removable from it, flanges upon the base of the vessel to prevent said bottom being withdrawn, a removable strainer located below said movable bottom when the vessel is inverted, a cover adapted to clamp said strainer to the vessel having a receptacle for the expressed liquid below the strainer, and mechanism, substantially as described, unconnected with said movable bottom to operate it.

at. The combination of a cylindrical vessel, a bottom movable within said vessel but not removable from it, flanges upon the base of the vessel to prevent said bottom being withdrawn, a removable strainer located below said movable bottom when the vessel is inverted, a cover adapted to clamp said strainer to the vessel having a receptacle for the expressed liquid below the strainer, a circular guide between said strainer and receptacle, and mechanism, substantially as described,

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unconnected with said movable bottom to operate it.

5. A donegan for refuse matter, consisting of a vessel having a movable piston-bottom within it guided upon its sides, and a removable air-tight cover or lid, and means to lock the removable lid tightly upon the open end of the donegan.

6. A donegan in which to collect and strain refuse matters, consisting of a cylindrical vessel of uniform cross-section on the inside and open on both ends, a movable piston-bottom Within said vessel supported and guided upon the inside of said vessel, and having a packed periphery to prevent escape of liquid, a support upon the cylindrical vessel to prevent the piston-bottombeing pushed out of the vessel at one end,a removable tight cover or cap for the other end of the vessel, and clamping devices to hold the cover or cap tightly to the cylinder to seal the donegan.

'7. A donegan in which to collect and strain refuse matters, consisting of, a cylindrical vessel of uniform cross-section on the inside andopen on both ends,a movable piston-bot tom Within said vessel supported and guided upon the inside of said vessel, and having a packed periphery to prevent escape of liquid, a support uponthe cylindrical vessel to prevent the piston-bottom being pushed out of the vessel at one end, a strainer removably supported to the other end of the vessel, a liquid-receiving chamber arranged below said strainer and detachably connected so as to support the strainer in position, and clamping devices to hold the receiving-chamber and the strainer tightly against the end of the vessel.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand. OSCAR D. MOCLELLAN.

Nitnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, E. M. BRECKINREED. 

